White House Proposes Cuts Impacting Children in Need

Feeding hungry children is not a political issue, it’s a moral one.

On Tuesday morning, the White House sent its annual “budget blueprint” to Congress. This budget recommends deep cuts to programs that would be devastating to the children that many organizations work to help each day, like Share Our Strength. I wanted to make sure you see Billy Shore’s statement about the impact of these cuts.

The initial reports are incredibly concerning to me as a parent, and a citizen. Everyone interprets the numbers differently, but we do know that this budget recommends staggering cuts into programs that help low-income families fulfill their basic needs.

It includes a massive cut to SNAP (formerly known as “food stamps”) which helps low-income families get the food they need. Did you know that for every SNAP dollar, roughly $1.75 goes back into the local economy? SNAP works!
It cuts many of the most effective programs at moving people out of poverty and eliminates many programs that serve poor and rural communities like those across many parts of my home state of Minnesota.

It includes deep cuts to Medicaid, which helps low-income and disabled individuals get necessary medical care, and provides health care in many schools across the country. This budget directly sabotages the most vulnerable Americans, and prevents them from growing out of their dire circumstances.

As a reminder, only Congress has the power of the purse and can enact a national budget; this budget represents the funding priorities and recommendations that the White House sends to Congress for consideration each year. As a people we need to reject this reckless proposition from the White House and we must stand up for our kids in need.

As a first step, please join me in taking a public stand by sharing this post and others on my social feeds with your own.

The amazing team at No Kid Hungry is planning to work closely with Congress in the upcoming months to make sure these cuts do not make it into the final budget or any legislative efforts. Our nation’s effective anti-hunger programs have had deep and long-standing bipartisan support. They represent a promise we have collectively made to America’s most vulnerable people. We will fight to make sure children have access to programs that keep a roof over their heads and food in their stomachs.